Is This Halloween?
by An Ordinary Fan
Summary: I warn you, this story has occasional spoilers from the ninth and tenth Fire Emblem games. But, if you don't care about that, enjoy this thrilling tale of a certain pessimistic mage trapped in a realm that he thought could never exist.
1. Part 1 of 4

Good evening, fair readers…unless you read this at a point in time that cannot be described as an evening. Halloween is coming up in a few weeks, and I thought I'd celebrate by giving you all a lovely scare…unfortunately, I'm not exactly the terrifying type. So, since the 10th Fire Emblem game will be released a few days after the holiday, I'm going to combine the two events and give you a treat without any tricks.

* * *

It has been a month since the grand battle had taken place. Since then, Ike, Ranulf, and Soren had decided that their presence was no longer needed in the land, and had decided to explore the other continents that exist in the world. Tonight, the threesome had arrived at a port town called Badon, and had been talked into staying at the local inn for free. 

Apparently, the townsfolk didn't want to see another group of innocent travelers head off to their death. This day, in their culture, was the one a year in which the realm of the departed was at its strongest point, and the souls of the dead would be able to come back for the night. Although many foolish villagers had gone into the forest before, hoping to encounter a lover lost in battle or a relative that had been struck down by illness, none of them had ever returned.

Ike and Ranulf, being the friendly and slightly gullible people that they were, decided to take their hospitality and avoid any danger. But the 'calm wind user' was the complete opposite. He had heard of trouble further to the center of the country, and time was of the essence. By taking their time to get there, who knows how much the problems could escalate? If all that was standing in their way was a bunch of worried civilians and a ghostly story, he may as well temporarily ditch his companions in order to trek through the woods and reach the area even more quickly.

And that's just what he decided to do, too. But at one point in his journey through the nearby forest, as Soren was walking through the woods, he thought he could hear footsteps coming from behind him. He turned around just quickly enough to catch the shadowy figure of a robed man step into the nearby foliage.

"Who goes there?" the black-cloaked hero called out. Realizing he had been caught, the man stepped out of the bushes and faced him…at least, Soren assumed he was looking at his face, since it was too dark out here to tell.

"Greetings, young mage. What is a lad like you doing in a place like this on Allhallow's Eve?" the mysterious man asked.

"Pardon me, but I asked a question. And when I ask questions, I expect answers. Now, who are you?" Soren once more requested.

"My name…is of little importance," the old man replied. "Does it truly matter if a stranger follows you for a single night, and once the morning sun rises, follows you nevermore?"

"Depends on the situation," the branded mage answered. "I can't exactly let one who attempts a task like assassinating a mere traveler run away without penalty, can I?"

"Ah, how true. But, I have not come after you to perform such a deed. I am merely curious about your behavior…why run away from your trusted allies, and people that offer you great hospitality? And on a night as sinister as this, as well?" the man questioned.

"Because, quite frankly, they're all nitwits," Soren stated bluntly. "If a gathering of people is that large, and are all believers in supernatural poppycock, they are not the kind that I can feel comfortable taking a break with. Now, if you excuse me, I have a lot of land to traverse before morning comes. If I hurry, I may even be able to avert the danger I have heard of before Ranulf and Ike even show up."

"…Well, what hope have I to change a mind as determined as yours? But be warned, fair scholar: as I've gotten older, I've learned to listen to people rather than accuse them of things," the man quoted (Po Bronson, to be specific) as he headed back to the village.

Deciding that the old coot was as much of a delusional as the other villagers, Soren merely scoffed and continued on his way. After a few more minutes of almost-blind adventuring had passed, he had wandered into a rather large clearing with a single tree in the center. Since he was not exactly the type of guy to partake in many pilgrimages, he decided to take a small brake. He leaned himself against the tree, but all of a sudden, the world around him was bathed in eerie light! When the brightness died down, he found himself in a world very much like his own…but much, much more spooky.

_Boys and girls of every age, _

_Wouldn't you like to see something strange? _

_Come with us and you will see, _

_This, our town of Halloween!_

"…Very interesting," Soren mused as he looked at his surroundings. He (and the tree) had been teleported to the main gates of a town that, quite frankly, would frighten small children. The buildings looked like they have been decaying for quite some time, there was a spider web in every last corner, there was enough dust to suggest inactivity for at least a whole year, et cetera. Oh, and the sky had gone from midnight black to pumpkin orange. "I may as well investigate this matter while I'm here."

As soon as the mage took a single step inside, the streets that appeared barren instantly filled with people of all shapes and sizes! Children were playing in the mud, men with chiseled arms were trying to impress elegant ladies, and there was even a horse drawn carriage or two!

For a split second, the master of wind magic was befuddled. Not only had these folks appeared out of thin air, but they seemed completely content with the state this dreadful town was in! But, being the thinker that he is, Soren decided to simply ask one of the townsfolk and save himself a lot of complication. He walked towards a young man who was facing the opposite way, and tapped him on the shoulder. Soren was ready to ask the question…but he was not ready for the sight he saw when the man faced him. At least, it would be considered facing him, for the man had no face!

"O…kay…" Soren barely managed to utter. "This…is definitely…NOT one of my better days."

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween! _

_Pumpkins scream in the dead of the night._

_This is Halloween, everybody make a scene,  
Trick or treat till the neighbors come and die of fright!  
It's our town, everybody scream!  
In our town of Halloween!_

Deciding that some questions were better left unanswered, Soren quickly dashed away from the almost-human being and towards the gates. Unfortunately, when he was a few mere steps away from his exit, the gates were slammed shut by some invisible force! "Great…this night just keeps getting better and better," he sarcastically told himself as he searched for another exit, as well as whatever force was controlling this place.

_I am the one hiding under your bed;  
Teeth round sharp and eyes glowing red.  
_

Deciding not to take his chances in the main street, where he figured more faceless entities likely awaited, Soren had ducked into an alley soon after the gates had closed. As he walked down it, once more he could hear the sound of somebody following close behind. And once more, he turned around quickly enough to catch sight of his stalker. But he did not expect to know the man he now faced. Especially since this was a man he had personally…killed.

"So, we meet again, foul mercenary," stated Maijin, a former general of Daein. He had been the first one that attempted to kidnap Princess Elincia, and if luck hadn't brought the Greil Mercenaries to the road it took place at during the right moment, Ike may have never gone on his famous adventures. Also, Daein would've conquered the world.

"No…this defies logic!" Soren exclaimed. "You were the very first general I had ever fought…you're supposed to be dead…how can this be possible?!"

"Impudent boy; obviously, you have no idea where you have wound up. This is Limbo, the realm between heaven and heck that I've been stuck in since your magic sealed my fate," the knight told him. "For many years, I've been waiting for the chance to encounter you again, and though I expected to be back in our world when it happened, I'll settle for what I can get. Do you have any idea how much pain you have caused my soul? Though somewhat higher-ranked than the others that were with me on that day, I was still a human with a heart. I was told to grab the girl by our mighty king, and though my conscience told me otherwise, I had to take the mission. It was the only way I could gain the gold to support my wife and children back home. And now, I can still hear their cries, as they mourn my passing every day! I wonder how many wretched scumbags like you will give a prayer when I cause your soul to remain here for all eternity? Let's find out!"

Maijin then picked up a javelin lying on the ground nearby, and quickly tossed it at the mage. Soren, since he was much more agile than the man in thick armor, managed to avoid the weapon and quickly dart into another alley and out of sight. As he saw his foe let out an angry grunt and run down the wrong passage, Soren decided to contemplate his words. "Limbo? Preposterous. Quite obviously, some sick mind that knows about my past is trying to mess my instinct. And as soon as I find out which psycho it is, I'll huff, and puff, and blow up his house into tiny pieces of shrapnel."

_I am the one hiding under yours stairs;  
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair.  
_

Since running into that look-alike from his past and demanding more information from him wouldn't be the best maneuver, Soren took refuge in a nearby shop. Imagine the look on his face when he saw that, standing behind the counter, was another familiar face.

"Well, if it isn't the weakling mage. Though you're not much of a weakling now, I see" stated Balmer the sage. He had been one of General Petrine's subordinates in life, and had fought Ike's band when they tried to relocate Greil. It was a shame that, so soon after the reunion, the glorious leader had passed on.

"Great; another imbecile that wants to cause me great pain," Soren muttered. He had not actually been the one to kill Balmer, mostly because of the elemental disadvantage, but it was likely that the fire user had a grudge against the whole party.

Oddly enough, that wasn't the case. "Don't start whining; I've gotten over it," the Daein told him. "When you've worked for a gal like Petrine for a few years, death is something that is not considered possible, but expected. If I hadn't fought then, it would be only a week or two until I was drafted in another battle, and I was bound to fall at one point. Besides, when you live in Daein, it's better to die in an honorable battle than to be executed for defection. Speaking of Daein, how has it grown since then? I've heard that King Ashnard has fallen, but what else has occurred?"

Soren figured that this was yet another imposter, or possibly even the same imposter, but thought that he should still humor him for now. "For a period of time, Beignon took control of the kingdom and, ironically, ruled over it in the same way it would've done to the other kingdoms had Ashnard succeeded. But, due to the contributions of many soldiers, it has become a better, more civilized kingdom than it ever was before."

"I am glad to hear that," the Sage replied. Before anything else was said, some loud noises could be heard outside. "I take it you've already run into Maijin? I swear, he's not the same person he ever was in life. As reward for your information, I'll allow you to take the back way out, so you don't have to start a skirmish with the man."

Soren didn't say a word of thanks, but he did dart out the alternate exit fairly quickly when the volume of the noise began to increase.

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween!  
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!  
In this town we call home, _

_Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!_

* * *

And with that, the first half of Soren's adventures in the strange town ends. Who was the strange man he encountered before this journey began? Is he being deceived by a mysterious foe, or has superstition truly become reality? And will the mage make it out of this strange town…alive? Be patient, fair readers, and you will see. 


	2. Part 2 of 4

Stefan: Hey, dudes and dudettes. It's me; your favourite green-haird swordsman...at least, I sure hope I'm your favourite. Wondering where the head author is? Well, the strangest thing happened. As soon as he finished typing up this part of the story, a couple of soldiers in beige armor grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him off somewhere. Called themselves the 'Copywright Brigade', or something like that. Anyways, he was allowed to make a phone call, and used it to have me come and fill in for him. Oh, and save yourself the trouble; don't ask where a desert hermit like myself can find a cell phone, especially when I'm not sure they're supposed to exist around here. Now, before I go, he asked me to make this announcement. Ahem…

DISCLAIMER: AN ORDINARY FAN, WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS STORY, DOES NOT OWN THE IDEAS THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN. THE CAST, LOCATIONS, AND PLOT OF FIRE EMBLEM BELONG TO NINTENDO. MARYLIN MANSON WROTE THE SONG 'THIS IS HALLOWEEN', WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE TALE AND WAS HALF OF WHAT INSPIRED ITS CREATION TO BEGIN WITH. THE SONG WAS MADE FOR A DISNEY MOVIE, 'THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS', WHICH WAS CREATED BY TIM BURTON. NOW, ANYBODY, **GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! **  


Stefan: And that's about it. Enjoy the remainder of the show, folks!

* * *

Last time we left Soren, he had escaped from the 'ghost' of a man he barely knew via the backdoor of a house/store owned by another man he barely knew. As he sneaked through the alleys, being careful not to get caught, he tried to figure out the most logical situation he could've possibly wound up in that did NOT involve these so-called supernatural beings.

Soren _did_ believe in spirits; just in a different way than most. Having seen creatures bearing such a title during the Greil Mercenaries' last battle together, he had come up with the theory that they were merely fluxes in the world created and controlled by the being that they had all fought at the end. If there were any left, it was merely supposed to be residue from the battle, and nothing more. The possibility of warriors from beyond the grave being summoned from an afterlife for the sole purpose of murdering them was the last thing that was on the warlock's mind at the time.

Of course, that was then, and this is now. And now, Soren had to hide. He may not believe in the possibility of the living dead appearing in the world, but he certainly knew that getting injured in a place like this by a guy like Maijin was **not** good for his health at all.

_Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can,  
Something's waiting to pounce, and how you'll...  
Scream! This is Halloween!  
Red 'n' black, slimy green!  
_

At last, after many minutes of sneaking around the horrid alleys of the strange town he was trapped in, Soren reached a part of town that was practically devoid of life…or afterlife, if it was true. As the young-looking mage leaned against a nearby garbage container, the cylinder started to shake a bit. Quickly pulling his hand away, Soren watched as the sniper who had attacked Lady Astrid's ship once upon a time poked his head out from inside. Soren couldn't help but let out a slight yip, as the character was covered in some kind of red, green, and midnight black sludge.

"Great. Another blast from the past," Soren remarked, dissatisfied that all he's seen so far in this creepy place was a faceless man and a bunch of guys he had already killed once, helped kill, or at least heard about from Ike. This man in particular fell into the last category.

"Hey, another mage. How 'bout that? I've rarely seen one of you smarmy types come 'round this part of town before," Norris the sniper told our protagonist. "Before, I haven't seen anyone pass by for the past two and a half years. And today, of all days, I get two visitors, and both magicians to boot! You're a lot different than the last guy, though; he was just some old coot in red robes that kept ducking into the shadows…"

"Red robes?" Soren asked, remembering the figure that had warned him not to traverse the forest in night. Had that geezer been trapped as well, and was trying to stop another from making the same mistake? Or, for some unknown reason and through unknown means, was he the one that had set up this gigantic illusion? "Tell me, please; do you happen to know _why_ he came this way?"

"Said he was looking for the emergency exit. This year, some goof cursed the front gate so it was one-way only, but there's always a backdoor for those that are persistent."

"Good to know. With that in mind, I'll begin doing the same. Your services were very helpful," Soren told the bow-wielder before running off, not realizing (nor caring, if he did realize) that the character was calling out to him, wanting company for a tad bit longer.

_Aren't you scared?  
Well, that's just fine.  
Say it once, say it twice,  
Take a chance and roll the dice.  
Ride with the moon in the dead of night! _

Everybody scream; everybody scream!  
In our town of Halloween!  


As Soren walked down some more alleys, he began to notice that the scenery was changing. If possible, the atmosphere was starting to seem even more eerie than before. But, that did not stop him from continuing onwards. The fact that there was a giant wall in his way stopped him from continuing onwards. There was no visible way around it, and if he tried heading back, he'd likely run into that Maijin fellow again. And though he had dodged a couple of times already, he really didn't want to press his luck.

Seeing a few bricks sticking out nearby, Soren walked towards them, thinking that he could climb up the barricade. But as he approached, the bricks were pulled back in just enough to no longer become climbable. For some reason, a discarding grappling hook lay nearby. But after Soren hooked it onto the wall, it suddenly burst into flames. "All right; that was unexpected," Soren commented as he quickly let go of the rope. He then faced the wall, and began to yell. "You there! If you can hear me behind this thing, this is NOT a laughing matter! If you continue to make this more difficult for me, I _will_ cut you into ribbons the second I can work myself around this obstacle!

Soren was becoming surprised a lot today. When the wall suddenly grew two eyes and a mouth, it was no exception. "WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER?!" the thing boomed.

Wiping the look of shock from his face, Soren replied, "Soren, lead tactician for the Greil Mercenaries. As I assume you are the being that controls who gains passage through this obstacle, I request that you let me through. I do not belong in this land, nor do I plan on becoming a part of it. If you try and force me to stay, I'll have no choice but to huff, and puff, and blow you to smithereens!"

"HMMM….LITTLE MAN HAVE GREAT COURAGE. I LET YOU PASS TO THE MOONLIGHT MANSION, FREE OF CHARGE. HURRY, BEFORE MY MIND IS CHANGED," the living wall told the mage. Soren quickly bowed in gratitude, and as the barricade opened its mouth as wide as it could, he ran through it and to the other side of the wall. Seeing a gigantic building before him, curiosity took over as he began to investigate.

* * *

Stefan: …That's it? The joker didn't even finish it yet! What a rip-off! But, I've got to give the guy some credit; any yarn worth being jailed for has got to have its good points. Now, if you excuse me, I've got to polish my Vague Katti. Seeya! 


	3. Part 3 of 4

Well, it's about time…I started this as a Halloween fic, and I don't even get it finished before Victoria Day…that's a Canadian holiday for those that don't know. It's STILL not done completely, but I just wanted everybody that wants to know about my progress that it hasn't been forgotten.

Also, about that disclaimer in the last chapter…yes, I was probably overreacting. But at least it got the point across, so I don't have to say it again…right?

* * *

Soren was thinking over the events of the night as he continued towards the building in sight. After leaving his only allies in a port town in order to reach a rumoured trouble with haste, he had run into a red-cloaked geezer that had given him an ominous and overall stupid-sounding warning. Now, he was trapped in some large illusion, and was either in as much trouble as the man, or at the man's mercy.

At this point, Soren had deduced that it was all one large trick, and was not in any actual danger. After all, not only would it probably take more than ten Sage's power to reach a world of death…which did NOT exist, the tactician reminded himself…but also, this world was inconsistent. One guy had no face. Another wanted him to be a 'permanent resident'. A third was a semi-happy garbage dweller. If they were all dead, and had died as villains, they should have suffered similar fates, right? And the last person he talked to wasn't even a PERSON; it was a wall, for crying out loud! How is THAT possible?!

No matter the circumstances, Soren decided to enter the building. Though the type of building had not been specified before, now that he was right outside the entrance, it was evident to Soren that it was an elaborate castle. Getting out of this illusion, finding out who would put him in this mess…all of the answers he sought were bound to be inside.

_I am the clown with the tear-away face__,  
__Here in a flash and gone without a trace__._

As soon as Soren entered the dark castle, a spear flew right past him and got stuck on a wall. "Don't tell me that idiot Maijin beat me here…" Soren muttered to himself, before the lights came on and he could clearly see the attacker. It was yet another man he had killed, yet this one was much higher on the chain of command. In fact, it was Ashnard's right-hand man, General Bryce.

"Well, well, if it isn't the insane general of the Mad King. I'm certain you have something to tell me involving your revenge, but I really have no time for such petty conversation. So, I'll make this quick," Soren told the man before he pulled out the lance, none other than the oddly-named Wishblade used in their confrontation, and chucked it at the man. Soren was never experienced in anything other than magic, but Bryce hadn't moved an inch, so he thought he could at least hit a motionless target on the first try. And he would have, if the evil general hadn't disappeared in a flash right when he would've been struck.

Soren stared for a moment, shrugged, and decided to continue. After all, it didn't seem that he'd be bothered again any time soon by the man…then again, it wouldn't be the first time tonight that things weren't as they seemed. As soon as that thought entered his head, he heard the quiet sound of an object in motion through the air; he ducked just in time to avoid being decapitated. Soren grabbed the Wishblade again, and turned around so he was face-to-face with Bryce once more.

"So, that's the game you want to play?" Soren asked. "Surprise me, let me think I've won, and repeat? Listen, you bloody tart; I am NOT in the mood for another mind game." Soren then turned back again, slung the Wishblade over his shoulder, and continued. He didn't get three more steps until Bryce materialized in front of him, and pulled off his own face. As a faceless man was the first thing Soren had seen in this illusion, the tactician merely sighed, and walked right past him.

_I am the "who__" when you call, "Who's there?"  
__I am the wind blowing through your hair__._

Thankfully, as Soren continued to search the castle, not only did Bryce decide not to show up again, he also found no other resistance. Plus, inexperienced as he was with the Wishblade, he now had something to protect himself with should another foe appear. After a few more minutes of exploring the castle, he eventually found a winding staircase leading upwards. Since anything of importance always seemed to be at the top of a castle, the master of winds trekked upwards, dragging the lance behind him.

When he reached the top, the person awaiting him was…well, to Soren, quite expected. After all, ever since he had gotten here, he'd been running from one evil Daein commander to the next. Since he had just gotten past the 2nd-in-command, who else was left but the Mad King, Ashnard, himself?

"I was wondering if you would last this long, foolish tactician," Ashnard, as human as anyone else in this world was, said with a smug grin. "Ever since I had first heard rumour that you had stumbled upon this land, I wondered how long you would last. Evidently, you have far more luck than I would have guessed to get all the way here. Actually, I'm kind of glad you lasted; you may not be anything like that moronic commander of yours that knocked me down, but your head will still look lovely hanging on my walls!"

"…I've got a few things to say to you, you psychopath," Soren replied, looking equally smug. "First off, if I was a fool, I certainly wouldn't be a tactician, would I? Second, luck is for card games; I've gotten this far by using my skill, which is vastly superior to yours. Third, though I don't have as much strength as Ike does, I can certainly beat you twenty times over; not only are you an illusion, but both Ike and I have had even more adventures since the day you died, and you'd just be child's play in comparison to some of our more-recent foes. And finally…hanging my head on the wall? That is both disgusting and cliché at the same time."

"Did you say I'm an illusion? You're a bigger numbskull than I would have guessed if you haven't realised the truth yet. Let's see if an illusion could do THIS!" the Mad King Ashnard yelled as he charged forward, prepared to thrust his sword right through the Arch Sage Soren's body. Of course, the protagonist of this tale dodged the blow, by merely stepping to the side. As Ashnard thundered past, the tactician lifted the Wishblade up and impaled the insane man with it.

"Like I said, you're child's play," Soren told the figure that certainly acted the part of Ashnard, though the mage was continuously doubtful. "Now, the exit to this stupid illusion is supposed to be around here, isn't it? Be a good king, and tell me where it is."

"Now you want your foes to make things easier for you? I thought it impossible, but you're sounding even MORE idiotic than before," Ashnard uttered before coughing, and mysteriously fading away, taking the Wishblade that pierced his internal organs with him.

"…I suppose that WAS a tad foolish of me, wasn't it?" Soren said to himself before looking around the room. It was a perfect circle, with the door back to the staircase behind him, windows to the left and right, and some sort of crystal (that Ashnard had been standing in front of) right in front of him. It took less than a second to put two and two together, and figure that the crystal had something to do with the exit. However, before Soren could even approach it, it was sliced in two by some mysterious force.

_I am the shadow in the moon at night__!  
__Filling your dreams to the brim with fright__!_

"All right; now I'm mad! Show yourself before I start using magic, because one spell is all it will take to turn this place to dust!" Soren shouted out, furious that yet another annoyance had prevented him from finding a way out of this puzzle. On cue, the moonlight poured into the room from the window on the left, and yet another figure from the past materialized in it. Though he was unique from everyone else he had met so far, there was something that they all had in common; Soren didn't fear him, either.

"The Black Knight, also known as Zelgius from Beignon," Soren whispered out. "The man who killed his own mentor, Ike's father, and thousands more…well, supposedly, of course. After all, nothing I've seen so far has proven for a fact that I am trapped in a world that couldn't possibly exist, and I doubt even the man who ruined Commander Ike's life, causing my only friend in the world more pain then the entire army of Daein put together, will be able to prove me wrong."

"…Really?" The BK whispered, but only after dashing right past Soren. The mage became tense, and looked at his arm. The foe hadn't attempted to cause a fatal wound, but he had cut right through Soren's sleeve. And though he could probably state a hundred causes that did not involve being attacked by the spirit of one of their greatest enemies when it came to that, the man had done something which was, to Soren, indescribable.

He was bleeding. The BK had made a tiny cut in Soren's skin, and he could feel the pain coming from it. This was no longer some elaborate illusion. This was REAL.

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween!  
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!  
Halloween! Halloween!  
_

"N-n-no…this defies all possibilities! This is impossible!" Soren babbled, having a bit of a mental breakdown, while he turned a section of the sliced sleeve into a makeshift bandage. "Talking walls? Orange skies? Faceless spectres? A dimension filled with all the souls who have died? It can't be…it shouldn't be…but…"

"It is," the BK finished, while he prepared to launch a more deadly blow. "The land of the dead, which you never believed in, is about to be the very place you will perish!" He then charged forward, only for Soren to snap out of his stupor in the nick of time, and send a blade of Elwind magic towards the man. The magical blast caused the foe to be stunned, and drop the Alondite sword he held.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm quite shocked that such a land is existent, but that's not going to distract me from a powerful foe like you. Now, it's about time you were exorcized, isn't it?" Soren asked, rhetorically, as he charged up his wind magic. He raised both arms above his head, forming a ball of energy that grew large enough to start chipping away at the ceiling.

Soren then launched the magic, Rexcalibur to be precise, at the once-killed conspirator, causing pain that even a ghost could feel. The BK was launched through a wall due to the impact's force, which started a chain reaction. Leaping out of the window to the right, and using his wind magic to slow down his fall, Soren managed to escape the castle before it crumbled and turned to dust. The spirit of Zelgius the Black Knight was not visible in the debris. "Looks like I was right," the tactician muttered to himself, remembering the statement he had made about his power earlier.

"Yes; it seems you were," said a voice from behind, who was slowly applauding at his actions.

_Tender lumplings everywhere!  
Life's no fun without a good scare!  
That's our job, but we're not mean  
__In our town of Halloween._

Soren turned to face the familiar voice, and saw the very man that had given him that warning back when this mess began. "As you seem to be in even better condition then I am right now, would I be correct in assuming that this entire trek through this miserable land has something to do with you?" the mage asked, raising his hand in case he needs to cast another quick spell.

"I warned you about the danger in not believing in the physically impossible, and that not everything in life can be figured out with logic, didn't I?" the old man questioned in return.

"No you didn't, you geezer! You asked why I ran away from my allies and some townsfolk on a supposedly sinister night. You never said anything along those lines!" Soren shouted back, stopping himself from blasting the coot right there and then.

"Well, I certainly would have, if you weren't in such a hurry to chase rumours," the elderly gent replied. "Either way, I thought it was a lesson that a boy like you wouldn't accept unless it was scared into him. It's something you won't soon forget now, is it?"

"Listen, king of the poltergeists, I've had it past my throat with you! It's time for these mind games to end once and for all!" Soren yelled as he activated the spell, not caring whether or not this man could be his only way out. The old man merely smiled like Ranulf did whenever he caught a bird with his mouth. It was then that Soren realised that his magic, which he had trained in for years, and was more powerful than that of anyone else he had ever met…had somehow been nullified.

_In this town, don't we love it now?  
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!_

* * *

And that's the end of this exciting segment. Are you eager to read the grand conclusion of this tale? Have you already guessed the identity of the old man in red robes? Don't worry, fair readers; all will be revealed in time!


	4. Part 4 of 4

...Well, now it's just plain sad. It's been a whole year since I first uploaded Chapter 1, hasn't it? But there's no way I'm going to stand back and let another Halloween come and go without finishing this epic! …Well, I certainly hope this is epic, what with the nights I've put into writing it. Enjoy the final Part! …Unless I write a bonus chapter in the very near future, that is.  In that case, this won't be the final part, will it?

* * *

"…Unbelievable."

That was the only word that Soren managed to utter upon his latest realization. Tonight had certainly not been a good night for the mighty Arch, former Wind Sage. After abandoning his lazy friends in order to help those in need, he managed to wind up in the land of the dead, and had been experiencing one traumatic event after another. And now, here he was; in front of the grand master of this realm, which is indeed as real as it seemed, and he couldn't even cast the simplest of spells. In short, he was practically doomed to become an eternal resident of this accursed realm unless a miracle made itself present, and quickly.

_Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back  
__And scream like a banshee__  
Make you jump out of your skin!  
_

"Whee hee hee! So, the grand tactician to the legendary Ike himself can't seem to think of how to get out of this little predicament of his? Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" the man in the red cloak taunted, the sinister grin still plastered on his face.

"You codger, I swear, I shall…" Soren began to taunt back, when he realised something. "Wait…that laugh! I swear I've heard it before...more than swear! I now know who you truly are! I was almost sure that you were Kishuna, a being called a Morph. Red cloak, magic seal, Badon being part of the land in which a great war was held...it would've made perfect sense, had it not been for the abundance of knowledge you seem to have about me, or a lack of other beings from that particular incident in history. But now, your true identity is known to me…Izuka!"

_This is Halloween, everyone scream  
Won't ya please make way for a very special guy?  
Our man jack is King of the Pumpkin patch!  
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King!  
_

"…Yes, bravo, bravo," said the man in the red cloak, otherwise known as Izuka, the former aid of Prince Pelleas of Daein, and target number one when it came to the creators of the Feral Ones. "You've made a pointless revelation. What good is it to know the man who will kill you, when it will have no impact on your survival?"

"It merely allows me to know that I'm not up against a being of a higher calibre than mine," Soren replied, glancing at the Silence staff Izuka had hidden under his cloak, which had been used to temporarily eliminate Soren's magic. "If you were indeed Kishuna, it would be a standstill; I would have no magic, and you wouldn't be able to attack. But my disablement is merely temporary; all I must do is keep holding out, and the battle is won. You may truly be a ghost, but if that is so, I do not doubt for a second that my talent will be enough to exorcize you just as well as the Black Knight!"

"Very well, young fool," Izuka uttered, putting away his staff and replacing it with his dark Balberith tome. "Let the battle for your very life begin! Whee hee hee!"

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween!  
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!  
_

And so, a fevered battle began. Soren quickly tucked & rolled to the side right before Izuka's first black blow could deal a dent. Quickly thanking Stefan for teaching him some close combat techniques while the Commander wasn't looking all those years ago, Soren ducked behind a piece of the debris left from the obliterated tower, which was then atomized by the next blow from the wicked Summoner.

"Seems like you're still just as talented as you were when the Hawk King and his portion of the group took you down…of course, that isn't saying much," Soren insulted, hoping that this continued string of negative sentences directed at his opponent would cause the maniac to falter, thus giving his 'Silenced' self more time to recover. "Now, before you reach a fate worse then that you have been suffering in for the past few years, I must know something that's been stuck in my mind since I entered this zone: why? Specifically, why go after me instead of Ike, or your slayer himself?"

"It's because I'm not a freaking moron!" Izuka spat back, warping towards the Arch Sage and casting another spell at him. Though it caused some damage, and since darkness was a stronger force than Anima, Soren's natural resistance prevented the burst of energy from causing serious injury. "Why go after a couple of legends when at least one of their lives can still be damaged by the removal of a crucial link in their life? Besides, I also wanted a chance to stop that rude, gloating streak you've been on for years. Abandon your only friends, lazy as they may be, in order to take down a possibly deadly, completely unknown force single-handedly…it is amazing what delusions of grandeur can do to a man."

"Look who's talking," Soren muttered, feeling his magical energy return to him. It was payback time.

_In this town we call home__,  
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!  
_

In a world other than Soren's…ours, to be precise…there is a story called The Princess Bride. It has a popular quote: 'never mess with a Sicilian when death is on the line'. If one knew of the context in which the phrase was uttered, and if they replaced 'Sicilian' with 'Soren', they would have a good estimate how much trouble Izuka was currently in. The payback began when Soren quickly cast Elfire on the ground in front of him; it caused the ground to alight under Izuka's feet, causing the man to back off a bit. With this new distance between them, Izuka wouldn't be able to counter Soren's next spell: a spectacular lightning spell, cast with the Bolting book he had purchased from the local vendors before this tragedy ever began.

In as short of a time as twenty seconds, Izuka's feet were immobilized from the flames that had caught onto his robes, and his body was paralyzed from the electricity that had surged through his being. When Soren approached him, stepped on his stomach with one foot, pulled out his Rexcalibur tome, and gave a grin which only a person like Soren could use effectively, Izuka was truly terrified. "Well played, old man…that's what I _would_ say if you had faced anybody but myself, or Commander Ike, of course. To be honest, I'm glad you made me have this little adventure; not only do I have new knowledge about the spirits of the world, I also have come to grips that I might not be as powerful as my own mind suggests. Of course, that realization is not going to alter your fate any less. I wonder where the dead go to when they themselves die…perhaps that's a question I'll never learn, but I'm certainly not going to stick around to find out."

And so, Soren opened up his mighty tome, raised his casting hand high into the air, summoned the energy that controlled the very air around him, and…

_La, la, la, la!  
__La, la, la, la!  
__La, la, la, la!  
__L__a, la, la…_

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Soren awoke with a start as he heard the old man's cry ring through his ears…wait a second; awoke? He had never fallen unconscious, had he? No matter how illogical these past few hours had been, there was no denying that he had won the battle against Izuka. Looking around, he quickly realized that the scenery had changed drastically. Instead of still being in a world of death, he was back at the port, in a bed surrounded by Ike and a couple of townsfolk. Nearby, a lady was pouring him a cup of tea; if Soren had not experienced what he did, he would've merely assumed that the sound that startled him was just the whistle of whatever kettle the drink would have come from. But even if no other man alive would believe his tale, he was positive that what had occurred was not merely an elaborate dream.

"Ah, Soren! I was starting to worry that you would never awaken!" Ike told the magical prodigy in that gruff voice he had developed over the years. "Ranulf and I found your body in the woods by an odd tree. We were worried you got in over your head, but Ranulf could still smell your life force…or something; I'm still not entirely certain about how many talents Laguz can have."

It was at that moment in time in which Ranulf entered the room. "Hey, the emo's finally up! About time; a man can only slack off for so long before he gets bored. Speaking of which, Soren, I got an update on the situation occurring further towards the center of this land. Rumour has it that some kook crafted a crystal that's draining the magic out of all the local mages in order to power some kind of beam that'll pierce the core of the planet and unleash some being of ultimate power. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But if it's true, it's a good thing you didn't get too far out last night; curses and the souls of dead men might not mean much to you, but you could've gotten your very life drained out of you if this story turns out to be true."

"Really? Well, then, I had best stay here and catch up on some much-needed rest while the two of you stop this problem before it becomes any worse," Soren told the two, causing Ike to look a little stunned. The Arch Sage then explained to him, "I know that I would usually follow after you two anyways, no matter the risk, but I've learned a bit of a moral last night. While some confidence in oneself is beneficial to one's spirit, an overabundance of pride can be hazardous to your health. I'll be waiting here, recovering from what happened last night, until your return."

"Whatever you say, Soren!" the bored Ranulf uttered as he dashed out of the door in order to see places and sights other than the port town he was now bored with.

"…By the way, what exactly happened last night?" Ike inquired of his magical friend. "I wouldn't feel right if I just left without having a clue what happened to you."

With a smirk, Soren answered, "Let's just say that I merely took a trip down memory lane. Now, pass me that book I see on the counter before you go. The one about supernatural occurrences. You'll never know what you'll learn in a place like this."

THE END…?

* * *

...By the way, even if I don't usually state the importance of reviews, they DO allow me to get a better understanding about the quality of my work.  So...please write one!


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